William Barowy

William BarowyProfessional Title: Associate ProfessorAreas of Academic Focus and Expertise:Ecological, social, cultural, and historical perspectives of human cognition, learning, and development. Underlying this is the central tenet of mediational means: people act, communicate, learn, and develop with cultural resources, including language, symbols, technology, and other people. Technological and social mediation of human development is central to this research, offering unique insights into learning with technology across many contexts.Area of Work and Concentration at Lesley: Technology, research, education.Education: PhD, University of Massachusetts, Amherst; MS, University of Massachusetts, Amherst; BS,
University of Massachusetts, AmherstRepresentative List of Recent Publications / Exhibitions:

Communication and Conceptual Understanding in Physics, William Barowy (2012) 45nd Annual Meeting of the New England Educational Research Organization, Portsmouth, NH.

Experience, Activity and Language, William Barowy (2010) 42nd Annual Conference of the New England Educational Research Organization, Portsmouth, NH.

Barowy, W. and, J. Activity and Language in Advanced Graduate Study, William Barowy and Joan Thormann, (2008) International Society for Cultural and Activity Research (ISCAR) San Diego, CA

Ecology and Development in Classroom Communication, William Barowy and
Jeanne Elser-Smith, Linguistics and Education, 19, 149-165,
(2008)doi:10.1016/j.linged.2008.05.004.

Dr. Barowy believes that
learning is an ecological process, occurring between the ears, eyes, fingers
and toes and among people, mediated by cultural and semiotic resources. A child
reading a science book by herself is not learning alone. Over many years,
scientists created the words and grammar that make up her book. The book itself
is the product of print innovations. Chances are that many others have helped
the child to the point where she can read the book. Should this child become a
scientist, she too will contribute to advancing the field. Should she become an
innovative teacher, she will improve how we teach science. In these ways,
effective learning reshapes the cultural contexts that give rise to it.